Argetlam
by Oromis and Glaedr
Summary: Book 4. After the siege at Feinster the varden take up residence in the now defeated city. Eragon and the varden ready themselves to move deeper into the Empire and closer to the final battle with the black king.
1. A New Home

**A/N** This is my second fanfic, for those of you that have not read my first one i will say again that i am writting so that i can beta-read. As of now, im not planning on continuing this story, if enough people like it than i will continue but im not gonna waste time writting a story nobody wants to read. This picks up right at the end of Brisingr, and would continue to be a book 4 fic.

Disclaimer- I do not own the Inheritance Cycle, and im pretty sure you would all laugh at me if i said i did so ill save myself the humiliation.

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_A New Home_

Eragon let out a grunt as he heaved a large wooden beam into place. It had been a week since the Varden conquered Feinster, and Eragon had spent every day helping to fortify the city.

He, along with the help of Arya and Trianna, had managed to sever Lady Lorana's oaths to Galbatorix and immediately after being freed of her bonds to the Black King, she had joined the Varden's cause. Feinster was currently in ruins, nearly every house had been destroyed and any buildings that had remained, for the most part, intact were deemed unfit to live in.

Lady Lorana had given the city to Nasuada to use as the primary stronghold for the Varden, asking only that the civilians be given a safe place to take up residence. King Orrin happily obliged, and set up a relief camp within the borders of Surda.

With the women and children out of the way, the soldiers had worked non-stop hauling the charred wood and rubble outside of the walls. Any items that could be salvaged were brought to the town square and inspected by the Surdan engineers. After three days of back-breaking labor, the city was barren except for the walls with a rather large pile of materials strewn in the center. Even the keep had been torn down in order to create a new one capable of housing the many important men and woman of the Varden.

Two days later it had been completed, located along the western walls overlooking the sea. It was much larger then the previous one and contained many new features, such as the impressive court room where any decisions regarding the Varden were discussed. Nasuada had even convinced the engineers to create a dragon hold with small rooms to accommodate dragons and their riders, much to Saphira's pleasure.

Since then Eragon and the other men had begun to construct the barracks, training fields, hospitals and other such buildings that would make up the remainder of the city. Eragon spent all of his time working on the Varden's new home, and had not spoken to anyone since the battle aside from the soldiers aiding him in his tasks.

Finally, after seven days of constant labor, he decided to take a break and relax his weary muscles. _Saphira?_

_Yes Little One?_

_Can you come pick me up? I need a break and we haven't flown together in _ages.

Her chuckling filled his head before she responded, _Yes Eragon I will be there shortly._

Eragon closed his eyes, deep in thought, and passed a hand through his matted hair. _Ugh,_ he exclaimed, _I need a bath. _

_Yes you do Little One. Your lucky Arya hasn't seen you lately, I'm quite sure she would find your appearance as repulsive as I do. _She said in a voice filled with her gentle teasing.

He felt his face redden at the mention of the beautiful elf, as Saphira landed next to him with a dull thud. _Your one to talk, your scales are so dirty I almost mistook you for a brown dragon! _

She snorted in mock indignation, and gingerly picked him up with her teeth placing him on the saddle. _Well it's a good thing you're coming with me then, I'll have someone to scrub my hide. _Laughing at the Eragon's obvious displeasure, she took to the skies looking for a river to deep enough to bathe in. She sighed as she took in the desert landscape beneath her, _We're going to have to go all the way to the Jiet River, I'm glad you decided to take a break because we'll be gone for the remainder of the day._

Eragon let out a snort of exasperation, _Why can't we just bathe in the sea? When I said I wanted a break I didn't mean I wanted to spend the day in search of a good place to take a bath._

Saphira chuckled at his impatience, staying on course for the Jiet River. _Because you are taking a bath to get clean, I'll not have you stinking of salt, covered in sand and seaweed. _

He sighed but didn't complain anymore, instead he allowed his mind to wander and soon found himself thinking of Arya. He hadn't talked to her since after that battle; he hadn't even _seen_ her for that matter. After explaining to her and Nasuada the deaths of Oromis and Glaedr, and the Eldunari, the source of Galbatorix's power, she had disappeared. He had planned on speaking with her and Roran after the battle but there was too much work to do, and he had not had the time.

_Little One, _Saphira said, dragging him out of his thoughts. _We are here. _

Jumping out of the saddle, he dove straight into the river splashing Saphira's scales. He resurfaced and swam to the shore, stepping out of his soaking wet clothes and hanging them on a nearby willow tree. As he turned back he noticed Saphira dive into the deep water, and he jumped in after her, grasping her tail just before it disappeared.

She pulled him under, swimming along the river bed and occasionally snapping at passing fish. He loved the feeling of the water rushing through his hair and over his body as he was pulled along at a break-neck pace. The water continued to rush past him, and he squealed in alarm when a fish got tangled in his hair. After about a three minutes he couldn't take it anymore, _Go up Saphira, I'm almost outt'a breath_.

Saphira laughed through their mental link, but instead of surfacing she lifted her tail above the water. Gasping for air as he emerged from the water, he allowed his legs to trail behind him in the river while she continued to swim. The wind rushing across his body as he sped above the water quickly air dried him and after a few minutes Saphira swam up from the river bed and over to shallower water where she could stand.

_Alright Eragon, I helped you clean up, now you can help me._

Eragon groaned at the prospect of scrubbing her scales, _Saphira can't you just use your tongue? Your enormous, we'll be here all day if I have to do it by hand! _He complained as he jumped off her back and began treading water beside her. Just as he reached up to rub her scales a massive weight pulled him under the water and held him in place. Squirming against the iron grip, he attempted to wriggle free of his captor. There was a scaled blue tail wrapped around his midsection and holding his arms against his sides. _Saphira! Let me go now!_

_No, I think not._

_What! What the hell did I do?_

_Eragon, I do not take kindly to insults about my size and I'm quite sure most females are of the same opinion. _She stated in an accusing tone.

Eragon released a snort of disbelief before replying, _Saphira you're a dragon! You _are_ enormous, and I thought dragons took pride in their size. It's not like I called you fat. _

He could feel her hesitation as she pondered his words. Reluctantly, she raised her tail back above the water and released Eragon from her grasp. _Very well, but you will still clean my scales for me._

Eragon sighed and set to work, gently rubbing the dirt and grime from her scales while she hummed in pleasure. It took the better part of an hour, but when she was finally clean she carried Eragon back to the shore and waited for him to dress. He pulled on his tunic and trousers and scrambled up her side and into the saddle. Tensing her muscles, she leapt into the air and with one mighty flap of her wings they set of into the night.

******

Eragon awoke the next morning, tucked away beneath Saphira's leathery wing. Sunlight shone through the thin membrane from a nearby window, covering him in a blue glow. Slowly, so as not to disturb her sleep, he slipped out from behind the wing and shuddered as the cool air enveloped his body. He yawned, stretching like a cat and made his way over to the window to observe the progress of the cities reconstruction. To his amazement, the buildings were complete. In the distance, his elfin eyes could see the furniture and other materials and equipment being brought in through the front gate but the buildings themselves were finally complete.

He slid into some of his less expensive clothes and made his way down the stairs. Exiting the door of the dragon hold, he took in a deep breath of fresh air and set off towards the mess hall.

As he walked through the halls of the keep, servants would bow to him muttering "Shadeslayer," or "Argetlam". He would nod in acknowledgement but his mind was elsewhere, marveling at the speed in which the Varden was able to establish a new home for themselves. The location was perfect as well, he realized, they were now in the southern part of the Empire allowing progress to move along much faster. They would not have to retreat back to Surda or the Beors after attacks which would save time and energy, but they were close enough to receive reinforcements in time should they come under attack.

As he entered the mess hall Nasuada's voice brought him back to reality, "Eragon! Come, sit. We have much to discuss."

He glanced up to a large table at the far end of the room. Nasuada sat there smiling at him, and waiving him over. Roran and Katrina sat to her left, laughing and talking with Orik, who sat across from them. Orrin sat to her right along with Jormundur and some other nobles whom Eragon did not know. He walked over to the table, looking for a place to sit down. The only open seat was between Roran and Arya.

"Ah cousin, how are you? I haven't seen you since the battle!" Roran exclaimed, patting him on the back as he sat. Arya gave a brisk nod of her head in greeting and returned to her meal. Her lack of enthusiasm cut into Eragon like a dagger, but he hid his hurt behind an emotionless mask and luckily nobody seemed to notice.

"Roran! It has been much too long. In fact, if you could spare the time today I'd like to spend some together, with you as well of course, Katrina." She smiled at him and they both nodded their heads in agreement. Turning towards Nasuada, he asked "How much more work is there to be done around here, until the stronghold will be complete?"

"Well all in all we are nearly done. _You_ however, have a great deal more to do today since you decided to take the day off yesterday." She replied, with a mischievous glint in her eye.

He laughed, and was about to reply before King Orrin cut him off. "Shadeslayer, you have been _working_?" he asked incredulously. "You should have been enjoying some time off like the rest of us! You need a break from this bloody war more than any man here!"

Everyone at the table had stopped their conversations and stared at him, interested in his response. Everyone, that is, except for Arya who had, it seemed, decided that King Orrin was quite pleasant to look at. "Well Orrin, I was glad to help as much as I could. Although you are correct, which is why I decided to spend yesterday with Saphira."

Orrin snorted in response, obviously displeased with his answer, and returned to discussing something with the various nobles seated around him. As everyone else begun to return to personal conversations, Eragon took the chance to begin his breakfast. Eyeing the food on the table, he selected an apple, bread and about a dozen strawberries, plopping them down on his plate. He continued to joke with Roran and occasionally Nasuada and Katrina, but Arya had yet to speak to him and it was slowly eating away at him. Making up his mind he decided to start up some small talk.

He turned to face her, and she glance up from her plate with a look in her eyes that clearly said 'turn around', but he ignored it and asked anyway. "What have you been doing all week Arya?"

She glared furiously at him, and he heard Saphira's laughing voice in the back of his head, _If looks could kill_. He allowed his amusement to seep through their mental link, and awaited her response. Unfortunately he didn't get one. Arya stood up and walked away, her anger only visible through her clenched fists at her sides. He stared after her disappearing form bewildered, before asking Saphira, _What did I say?_

Her laughter filled his head as she replied, _It's not what you said Eragon; it's that you said something at all. You know as well as I that she clearly did not want to talk and you ignored her. Little One, you are hopeless with women._

_No I'm not! Nasuada and Katrina both like me, as do you, and the four of you are the only women I've ever tried to get to know._

Saphira snorted, _We are your friends Eragon. I meant you are a hopeless romantic. I will tell you this now, although I shouldn't have to, for Arya and for any other woman you might fancy in the future. Ignoring a woman's request and doing the opposite of what she wants will pretty much guarantee that they won't be returning your feelings. Aside from that, one of Arya's main arguments against your love is your immaturity, and a mature man would realize that she didn't want to talk and would have brought it up later._

Eragon stared down at his feet as the truth in Saphira's words washed over him. In an attempt to lighten the mood she added, _And let's face it, I kind of have to like you._

He smiled half-heartedly, _I'm going to take a walk, I'll be back in a few hours._ With that he cut off their connection and headed to the city gates, dragging his body along in a very un-elf like manner. As he stepped past the walls he began to run through the country side, stopping on a small hill a few miles outside the city. He sat down and allowed his conscience drift out across the land, loosing himself in his troublesome thoughts.

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**A/N** once again, i hope it was worth your time, if you want me to keep writting it review and let me know. if i get enough i can have the next 2 chapters up by this weekend. also if you want me to keep going suggestions would be great. Constructive criticism is welcome and if you feel the need to scream and rant about how awful i am go for it, im sure i would find it amusing.


	2. Celebration

**A/N** sorry this chapter took a lot longer than i originally intended. I finished it on sunday but when i re-read it i decided that i didnt really like it and i had to start all over. I'm still kinda setting up this story so theres not much action and although the begining of this chapter may seem kinda boring your just gonna have to trust me, its important.

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_A Celebration, and A Revelation_

A sigh escaped Eragon's lips as dark thoughts covered his conscious like a heavy blanket. Not for the first time he found himself brooding over his past. In fact, times when his mind was entirely empty of regrets were few and far between.

As always these memories would start a chain reaction causing all of Eragon's problems to surface, flooding over him with renewed vigor. All the deaths that occurred in his life; Garrow, Brom, Ajihad, and most recently Oromis and Glaedr, rushed to the front of his mind threatening to overwhelm him. Katrina's capture, the destruction of Carvahall, Murtagh's enslavement, and the killing of so many men only contributed to his pain. The latter bothered him the most. He may have personal problems but how many had he caused for others? How many fathers had he killed? How many sons, and brothers, and husbands, and fiancés?

The sound of someone clearing their throat brought him back to the present. He looked back to see Jarsha standing about ten feet away, with his hands clasped behind his back. "Shadeslayer," he said, bowing his head "there is to be a festival tonight in celebration of the Varden's new home. Lady Nasuada requests yours and Saphira's presence at the party. It will be held in the courtyard outside the keep." He bowed again, then turned and ran off back towards the city walls. Eragon let out another sigh as he lay back on the ground and closed his eyes, praying for sleep to take him.

******

A single tear rolled down Saphira's cheek as she realized the condition her rider was in. Eragon had severed their connection when he left the city, wanting some time alone. She had watched him from the dragon hold with her keen eyes, noting the ungraceful movements that were ill-suited to his new elfin body.

He settled a few miles outside the walls on a small hill, looking out over the sea. Concerned for his welfare, Saphira re-established their connection just enough to know his general mood and be aware of his surroundings. He didn't notice her enter his mind, and that wasn't very surprising based on the utter misery radiating off his person. The pain was so overwhelming that Saphira almost fell over as it flowed through the link. She considered going to comfort him, but decided against it. Instead she continued to watch over him from the hold, ready to fly out to him if the need should arise.

A movement just south-east of Eragon's position caught her attention. She shifted her gaze towards the disturbance, and was immensely surprised to see none other than Arya herself pacing back and forth by a nearby tree. Every few seconds she would take a hesitant step towards Eragon, only to pull it back and continue pacing. The obvious uncertainty of the elf puzzled Saphira; she had never known Arya to be unsure of anything and this only heightened her concern for her rider. Deciding to figure out what was wrong, Saphira extended her conscious out over the plains and lightly touched Arya's mind.

Arya immediately threw up her mental barriers, and began looking wildly around the landscape surrounding her.

_Am I not welcome to speak with you, Arya Svit-Kona?_ She asked, her voice filled with amusement.

_What is it Saphira?_ Arya replied in a dry tone, ignoring the question.

_I couldn't help but notice your pacing, as well as your uncertainty in approaching my rider. What is it you wish to speak with him about?_

_I... I wanted to ask his forgiveness for my rude behavior this morning. _She stuttered.

_Then why are you so reluctant to approach him? If that were truly all you wished to discuss with him than you would have gone up to him without hesitation and been gone already, so I will ask again, what is it you wish to speak with him about? _She inquired icily; the elf was obviously hiding something from her.

_I… well I… _She was spared having to respond by Jarsha walking up beside her.

"My lady," he said, bowing. "Lady Nasuada has asked me to inform you of a celebration tonight in honor of the newly established home for the Varden. She requests that you be present for the celebration, it will start at sunset in the courtyard."

"Thank you Jarsha, you may inform Lady Nasuada that I will be in attendance." She nodded curtly and began to make her way towards the city when Jarsha spoke again.

"Excuse me my lady, but would you by chance know where I might find Shadeslayer?"

Saphira could see Arya flinch as he said the name, and a large, draconic grin spread across her face. "Yes, I believe he is on the hill over yonder." She replied, pointing to a location a short distance from where they were standing.

"Thank you my lady," he bowed again and set off towards Eragon. Saphira attempted to reconnect her mind to Arya's, intending to get the answer she was looking for. Arya quickly threw up her defenses and began walking at a brisk pace back towards Feinster.

Saphira snorted at the elf's stubbornness, anything Arya told Eragon would be known by her as well. Why keep it from her?

She felt that Eragon had fallen asleep through their link, and wondered if she should go to him. Debating it with herself for a few minutes, she made up her mind and took off from the dragon hold. Once in the air she started to perform various aerial acrobatics, enjoying the feel of the wind on her face. It was about midday, judging by the sun's position, and the water of the sea was reflecting the light forming beautiful patterns on its surface. Saphira circled the keep casting her giant shadow across the masonry, and then glided leisurely out towards Eragon. As she landed next to him, she noticed that his physical features reflected his internal feelings. He was laid out on the grass, there were dark circles beneath his eyes and his face was gaunt. No doubt side-effects from berating himself for near an hour on everything that had gone wrong so far in his life. Nuzzling his cheek, she coiled herself around his body and covered him with a veiled wing.

_Oh Little One, why do you trouble yourself so?_ She felt drowsiness pulling at the corner of her mind, passing though from Eragon. It was so tempting to fall asleep with him but she could not. After all, they had a party to go to.

******

Eragon awoke and was unnerved to find that he was warmer than he remembered being before falling asleep. _Well that can't be right it was midday when I dosed off, it should be colder right now. _He stretched out his arms and legs, his eyes still closed. His movements were extremely restricted, there was maybe a few inches on either side of him before he struck something hard. Startled, he stood up abruptly only to hit a low ceiling which forced him back to the ground. Whatever he was imprisoned in was extremely sturdy, and he began franticly pounding against all sides until he heard a familiar laughter in his head.

_Now Little One, is that any way to thank me for keeping you warm?_

_…Saphira?_ Her laughter resounded in his head once again, and she lifted her wing exposing him to the outside world. The rush of light forced him to close his eyes and he buried his face in Saphira's side.

_Put it back!_

_No Eragon, I would have woken you up soon anyway. You need to get ready for the party._

He groaned and rolled back over, as he opened his eyes he was once again blinded by the light and forced to close them. Saphira snorted and he shouted in protest as she picked him up in her teeth and dropped him on the ground in front of her. She let out a low growl and raised her lips in a snarl. The sight would be enough to send almost any man running but Eragon merely grunted and stood up to face her. Sleeping out on the cold ground had not been a good idea, and his muscles were stiff from lying in an awkward position. He stretched his back, his joints cracking to release the built up pressure. Saphira found this amusing and imitated his actions, the result causing him to cringe. The cracking of her bones was similar to the sound of her cracking open a deer's skull.

Apparently she didn't notice his reaction and crouched down low so he could climb into the saddle. As he scrambled up her side he looked at the sun to get a general idea of what time it was. _About six I should think. Saphira when does the party start?_

_I'm not sure Little One. Jarsha said tonight, I'm assuming that it will start once the sun has set._

He nodded in agreement, and grasped once of her neck spikes as she lifted off. The ground flew by underneath them as Saphira angled towards the dragon hold. Eragon could already see servants in the courtyard setting up tables and rolling in barrels of mead for the celebration.

Saphira landed in the dragon hold with a thud. Tucking her wings to her side, she made her way over to her dais and laid down. When Eragon gave her a questioning glance she responded, _You may have slept the day away Little One, but I was up taking care of you. _With that she rested her head on her forepaws and snapped her boney eyelids shut.

Eragon walked to his dresser and began rummaging through it to find suitable clothes for the party. A pile was beginning to form behind him, already reaching as high as his waist from the various clothes he had tossed over his shoulder. At last he found an elegant blue tunic of elvin make. It was almost the exact color of Saphira's scales, with silver trim. He grabbed a pair of white breeches and a black belt as well, and placed them on top of the dresser. As he turned around he sighed. The pile of clothes was nearly three quarters of his full height, and he began to shovel them haphazardly back into the drawers.

A bathing room had been built and he decided it would be best to bathe before attending the party. He grabbed his clothes off the top of the dresser as well as his black formal boots from beside it and made his way down the stairs and into the keep.

A guard informed him that the baths were located beneath the keep and showed him to the stairway. There was nobody in any of the baths which didn't surprise Eragon since most people would be heading to the party soon, and he quickly jumped into the water. It took a good twenty minutes before he was sufficiently clean and he climbed out of the large basin and began to dry himself off.

He pulled on his clothes and walked over to a small mirror by the door. Satisfied with his appearance, he left the bathroom and headed towards the courtyard.

_Saphira? _He felt her stir as he touched her mind.

_Yes Little One?_

_I'm on my way to the courtyard. I'll meet you there okay?_

_I suppose._

At the top of the stairs he ran into Nasuada and they continued together to the party. As they entered, many people turned to whisper to each other and although he knew that she couldn't hear them, his elfin ears could. Their words made him uncomfortable; apparently arriving at the party with Nasuada had given off the wrong impression. Silencing the crowd with a glare, he whispered the situation into her ear.

She laughed before replying quietly, "Oh Eragon relax, there will always be rumors about your love-life simply because many women would love to be with you." He gave her a skeptical look which she answered with a snort of impatience. "Look as long as we do nothing intimate here I'm sure the gossip will stop." She said, subconsciously raising her voice to get her point across.

Unfortunately, a man overheard that last statement and he stared at them with wide eyes obviously misunderstanding her. Eragon watched as he ran off and began whispering furiously to anyone who would listen.

Sighing, he left Nasuada's side and made his way over to the mead. He grabbed two mugs and sat down on a bench overlooking the dance floor. The sight of young couples enjoying each others company restored his ugly mood from earlier in the day and he took a long draught from his mug.

A loud thud announced Saphira's arrival, and he watched as she wandered over to him with several barrels of mead in her jaws. She curled up beside the bench, then using her teeth she put two holes in the top of a barrel and lifted it between her jaws. Five long gulps was all it took, and she tossed the barrel aside shattering as it hit the ground.

_Is there any particular reason you are sitting here moping instead of dancing and enjoying yourself?_ Saphira asked, fixing him with a giant sapphire eye.

_With whom would I dance, O Great Dragon?_ He replied sarcastically, leaning back on the bench and closing his eyes.

_Well to be honest Eragon, I would imagine you could dance with whomever you wanted to. And what about Roran? If you are hell-bent on avoiding a dance you could at least spend some time with him._

_He's not here… and neither is Katrina._

_Oh._ She replied catching his drift. _Well there's lovely young lady here to see you, so look sharp._

He opened his eyes to find a girl who looked about his age. She had long dark brown, almost black hair and pale blue eyes. For a human, she was astonishingly beautiful. She wore a blue gown the exact shade of her eyes and as he stood up he noticed she was quite tall for a woman, only several inches shorter than himself.

"Can I help you?" He asked politely. Looking around he noticed many eyes observing his conversation.

"Yes actually, would you care to dance Shadeslayer?" She asked smiling, exposing her brilliantly white teeth.

Caught off guard by the question, he stammered "Well I, I…" A voice in the back of his head cut him off.

_Oh just go with her, it's just one dance. And besides, she is very pretty is she not?_

Biting back a smart remark, he spoke to the girl again, "I would love to…" He left his sentence open, waiting for her name.

"Tara," she replied, grabbing his hand and leading him to the dance floor. A new song had just started and it was one Eragon was quite familiar with. They danced in time, both enjoying the moment. Tara didn't speak much but he didn't mind. After several minutes the music came to an end and Tara ran off to a group of girls who were all grinning from ear to ear. He chuckled softly before returning to the bench and taking another drink of mead.

_Did you enjoy yourself, O Great Rider?_

He smiled at her mocking of him, and leaned back and closed his eyes. _I did, in fact I wouldn't mind another dance or two before the night is gone. _

_Wonderful,_ she said, her voice brimming with amusement. _Because there are a few more ladies here for you. _

Eragon opened his eyes to find a crowd of at least thirty women in front of him, and Saphira with a large draconic grin spread across her face. _A few? A bit of an understatement, don't you think?_

Eragon spent the rest of the night dancing with the various women and after several hours he could hardly move. Excusing himself he wandered towards the bench and was surprised to find Saphira gone. Even more surprising was who had taken her place. Arya sat on the bench, staring right at him. She wore a beautiful green dress, and her hair was up in a messy bun. Unnerved, he walked over to her dodging the remains from Saphira's barrels of mead. As he neared her she greeted him with the traditional elvin phrases, to which he responded in kind.

"Arya," He started before she interrupted him.

"Yes Eragon?" Her words had an edge of anticipation to them which threw him off.

"Er, do you know where Saphira is?"

"Oh," she replied sounding slightly disappointed, "Yes she's just over there." Eragon followed her gaze to find Saphira passed out on the ground, half buried in the remains of mead barrels.

"Oh, thanks." He scurried away hoping to escape the awkward conversation, but stopped when he heard Arya sigh. Her strange behavior was really unsettling. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought Arya wanted to dance with him. _Well that's clearly not the case_, he thought to himself.

Soft footsteps sounding behind him caught his attention. He turned around and found himself face to face with the beautiful elf. "I…Would you like to dance Eragon?" she said, sounding uncertain and once again Eragon found himself stuttering, completely taken aback.

"I, I… sure." He managed to say.

She took his hand in hers and led him away to the dance floor, which by now was starting to empty. The song being played was an old love ballad that Eragon had heard many times while living in Carvahall. They started off slow, and began to move faster and faster as the music picked up. Their elfin grace earned them many "oos" and "ahhs" from the crowd but Eragon hardly noticed. He stared down into Arya's eyes, which were filled with happiness and contentment. For the third time this night Eragon was at a loss for words, Arya was acting very strangely.

The song ended and Arya thanked him and walked away. Eragon stared after for a few moments, admiring the sway of her hips, before walking towards Saphira's bulk. As he lay down by his side, he began trying to puzzle out what had just happened. Arya had _asked him_ to dance.

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**A/N** if you are following this story plz review! Im trying to decide if this should be an ExA fic or Eragon and someone else. I will have some romance in here one way or the other but i would like some opinions before i make a decision.


	3. Aroughs

**A/N: **First off, I would really like to apologize for the extremely late update, and i hope i dont loose any readers because of it. Basketball and school have been taking up alot more of my time than I originally thought.

Second, I would like to thank **Julian Blake**,** rainbowsix**, **SnowChika**, **The Sun Also Rises**, **melissita**,** Marshall88**, and **blahblahblah123456789** for reviewing and helping me decide where to go with the Eragon pairing.

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_Aroughs_

The wind whipped through Eragon's hair as Saphira flew, and his ears rang from the concussions of her wings. Early that morning, Nasuada had summoned him to the courtroom for a war council with the other important officials, interrupting his fantasies of Arya brought on from the night before. Apparently, scouts had confirmed that Empire soldiers had abandoned the cities of Melian and Aroughs in order to reinforce both Belatona and Dras-Leona. Melian was the next target of the Varden and Nasuada had wanted to know if capturing Aroughs was necessary.

Orrin, along with the majority of the council, believed that taking the city would be both a waste of time and personnel. The decision had almost been made until Saphira gave her input. _'Every day the Varden moves closer to Uru'baen and their goal. However, outnumbered as we are we must take every precaution in order to ensure a greater chance of success. Aroughs is the only remaining port city under the Empire's control in the south.' _Swiveling her head she rested her sapphire gaze upon each of the council members, lingering for a moment on Orrin. _'Though the city may be helpless now, you cannot allow the Empire to have any way of catching us off guard if it is preventable.'_

Nasuada nodded her head, accepting Saphira's reasoning and brought the meeting to a close asking both Eragon and Saphira to stay behind. He waited patiently, his hands clasped behind his back, until the room was empty aside from the three of them. "Now, while I agree with Saphira's reasoning," she glanced at Saphira who let out a puff of smoke through her nostrils. "I must say the Orrin and the others had a point. We cannot afford to lose soldiers since, as you mentioned, the Empire vastly out-numbers us. Even with minimum casualties those soldiers would be far behind the bulk of the army and would either delay our campaign or make the siege of Belatona more difficult."

"What would you have us do, Mil'ady?" he asked in a tone that said, 'Get to the point'.

She smiled at him before saying "You and Saphira will fly south to Aroughs and take the city. Alone." Eragon's eyes widened slightly but he said nothing. "As you know the Empire's soldiers have fled the city leaving only the city guard to defend it. Also I would imagine that any capable magicians would have left with the Empire leaving it virtually defenseless against the two of you. If you accept," she paused glancing at him and he gave a slight nod of his head in agreement. "Then I only ask that you do not attack at once and attempt to persuade them to join our cause." After he agreed she dismissed him and he and Saphira had left immediately.

They had flown through the day and were now nearing the city. Saphira pointed out a large wooded area to the north of the city and they landed for a quick meal and some rest. Eragon sat against Saphira, a small fire in front of him, eating slowly as his mind began to wander. As always, this quickly led to unbidden thoughts of Arya. Memories of their times spent together, both good and bad, along with his hopes and fears of their future relationship.

Three memories stuck out in his mind, the first of which was the most painful. Arya's rejection had left a permanent scar on Eragon's heart, and to this day he had yet to fully recover from the agony it had left him in. In the weeks following his heartbreak, his self-confidence had left him, and it was only thanks to Saphira that he was able to focus at all on his studies.

The next memory was far better, and though it was a happy one, it had further diminished his hopes. Sitting around the campfire outside Eastcroft had been a pleasant experience, and Arya had opened up to him revealing many details of her past. He relished the closeness they had shared, and yet at the same time hated it. She had confided in him as a friend and nothing more, and while it was a great step in the right direction he found himself wanting more.

Finally, there was the most recent memory he had with Arya. Dancing with her had been wonderful, even more so since _she _had asked _him_. Adding to this was an almost undetectable change in her demeanor, small things that one would only notice if they spent a large amount of time with and around the elf. The slight brightening of her eyes as he agreed to dance with her, the way she held his hand as she led him to the dance floor. Small, subtle things that, had there not been an abundance of them, he would have passed off as his imagination.

_'Saphira?' _he asked, raising his eyes to stare at the sky above.

_'Yes?'_ She replied, fixing him with a large sapphire eye. Unbeknownst to him, she had heard all of his previous thoughts and recalled those same memories, only from her point of view.

_'Do you think that, perhaps, Arya may have changed her mind?' _Though many people may have found the question vague and unclear, Saphira would've known what he meant regardless of the fact she had just shared the thoughts that had brought on the question.

_'Oh Little One, why do you trouble yourself with this now? There are few things you can do to change her feelings for you, and constantly tormenting yourself with visions of the past and future is not one of them.'_

He sighed and lowered his gaze to the ground beside him, picking mindlessly at the grass. _'I know,' _he paused, looking back up into her eye,_ 'but sometimes I just can't help it. I love her Saphira. I love her, and the worst thing is she doesn't even believe it.'_

Her gaze softened as she looked down at her Rider. She nuzzled him gently with the end of her snout in an attempt to comfort him. In the distance the sun could be seen growing ever closer to the waters of the sea. Saphira stood up, stretching her muscles and then said to Eragon, _'Come Little One, I believe it is time that we greet the soldiers of Aroughs'_.

* * * * * * *

Men walked back and forth across the battlements, outfitted in chain-mail and leather armor. A white lion was painted across the leather breastplate, and sewn on the left shoulder was the respective person's family crest. Artemis, a boy of 17, was similarly dressed. He had joined the city guard of Aroughs only several weeks ago, after hearing of the defeat of Feinster. Already his duties had become dull and repetitive, not at all what he had expected. The older men sat in groups, drinking and laughing the night away leaving the younger and less-experienced men to make the rounds.

Currently he sat on the parapet along the northern wall looking out across dry grasslands wishing for some action.

"Boy! Shouldn't y'be makin' yer roundshh?" A man of around forty had come up behind Artemis. He was obviously drunk as his words were slurred and he had an awfully hard time walking even just a few steps.

"Yes sir," he said, saluting "I'll get going right away."

"Good. An' don lemme ca-" His was cut off as a resounding crash echoed throughout the city. Turning his gaze to the direction the noise came from he found its source. Clinging to one of the spires of the keep was an enormous blue dragon.

The world itself seemed silent as the dragon brought it's gaze across the city. A vibrant red sun sat in the background, painting the surrounding sky in various pinks and oranges, all reflected flawlessly on the ocean's surface below. Beautiful sunsets such as these were not at all uncommon for coastal cities and Aroughs was no exception. In fact, the sunsets were one of its few tourist attractions.

Artemis found it interesting that one change to this typically routine happening produced a completely different result. The sunlight was reflected gloriously of the dragon's scales in a way that no precious metals or gems could compare. It held it's head proudly, seemingly aware of it's regal appearance. Ironically, the dragon's position on the spire placed it almost perfectly between the sky and its reflection on the water, the dragon was the perfect balance between ethereal beauty and raw power.

A ferocious roar broke the stunned silence the city had succumbed to, and was immediately followed by screams of terror and guards shouting orders. A second, even louder roar drowned out all other noise bringing the city once again to an eerie calm. All eyes were on the dragon as it snorted a jet of flame from its nostrils. It looked around the city again before fixing it's stare at a point along the northern wall. Following the dragon's gaze Artemis found himself looking at the city's main gate, which seconds later was blown apart with a thunderous "boom" sending pieces of wood in every direction, clattering against the buildings.

The smoke cleared to reveal a single man standing amidst the rubble, a gleaming blue sword hanging loosely in his hand.

* * * * * * *

It took all of Eragon's willpower to keep a smirk off his face as he looked at the terrified expressions on the men's faces. One man lay on the ground moaning in pain, a piece of wood from the gate lodged in his leg.

'_Might I make a suggestion?' _Saphira said, dropping from the spire and gliding over to land beside him.

'_Aye, you may.'_

'_If you have to kill someone, try to do it as humanely as possible.'_

'_Ah… care to explain?'_ He said, turning to look at her.

'_I mean that decapitating a man in front of the entire city would not be a good way to persuade these men to join our cause.' _

"Rider! What is your business here in Aroughs?" asked one of the guards in a challenging voice. Only several of the guards had not drawn there weapons and five bold men were slowly advancing on Eragon.

"I have come to speak with the Lord of Aroughs; I bring a message from Lady Nasuada of the Varden." He replied in a calm and diplomatic tone. The five men were now only about thirty feet away and had stopped in front of him with their weapons at the ready. A low rumbling came from Saphira's throat, causing them to take several steps back assuming it was a threat. Eragon however, knew it to be her laughter.

A tall, thin man stepped forward from the lines of men. His armor was of a finer make and well polished, as well as the elegant sword in his hands. "I am Lord Vernon Rider. What is this message you speak of?" he spoke in a deep and arrogant voice, a stark contrast to his physical appearance.

"Lady Nasuada wishes to know if you will aid us in our campaign against the Black King, Galbatorix. Lady Lorana of Feinster has already agreed and pleads for you to do the same." He stared in to the Lord's eyes and noticed the he seemed to be struggling with some inner conflict. "You have sworn oaths of fealty to Galbatorix, have you not?"

Vernon's face hardened and he glared at Eragon. "Aye, I have." He paused and looked to the ground, sighing. As he returned his gaze to Eragon he said, "You should not have come Rider. Kill him."

Again he struggled to keep from laughing but managed to keep his face devoid of emotion. The five men closest to him rushed forward but he did not even look at them. Instead he kept his eyes locked with Lord Vernon's and entered the minds of the five men. They fell dead ten feet from him as he breathed one of the twelve words of death, and narrowed his eyes at the ruler. Gasps of shock rose from the other soldiers who had now stopped in their tracks.

"Lord Vernon, if you wish I can negate your oaths to the King. However, if you remain uncooperative I have been ordered to take this city by force."

Laughter escaped his lips as he looked back at the men behind him. "And how would you do that? You are but one man Rider, and I have a good three thousand soldiers at my command. How can you possibly hope to take this city alone?"

A ghost of a smile appeared on Eragon's face as he replied, "Aye, I am only one _man_. You are wrong though, to assume I would be taking this city alone. I believe you have forgotten the very thing that gives me the title of 'Rider'." He cast a sideways glance at Saphira and she snorted in agreement. Looks of unease spread across the faces of the soldiers, and even Lord Vernon paled slightly. "It's funny," he added, his smirk growing larger by the second "I don't see how you could have overlooked her."

Still looking at Saphira, the Lord spoke in a much more humble tone, "How about this then Rider. If you can defeat my ten best men _alone_," he emphasized obviously referring to her. "And without magic, then I will agree to join the Varden."

_'What do you think Saphira?'_

She gave a snort before flying up to land on the battlements. _'Eragon if you could not defeat ten ordinary men you would have to be the worst Rider in history.'_

He smiled and agreed to fight the ten men. As they encircled him he spun Brisingr at his side, waiting for them to attack. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a man rush forward with a battle axe raised above his head. He waited until the man was close enough and then, sidestepping the blow, he lashed out splitting open the man's stomach. As he hit the ground, blood pooling around his body, the other men looked at each other, then back at Eragon.

Three men nodded to each other and cautiously approached him from the front, their respective weapons held at the ready. Two had long swords and the third wielded a heavy looking mace as well as a shield. That man was several feet to the right of the other two, and held his shield in his right hand. Eragon leapt at an angle to the man's left and took a second step towards his right. Brisingr flashed once and he stopped holding the sword out to the side, away from his body. Behind him there was a thump as the man's top half fell to the ground followed shortly by the bottom. _Eight left._

_'I see you decided to ignore my advice.'_ Said Saphira, bringing a smile to his face.

The two men with long swords now attacked, swinging their swords wildly in front of them. Ducking a blow from the first man, he kicked the soldier's legs out from under him and rose to parry the other's attack. He blocked an overhead slash from the second soldier and lunged, stabbing him through the chest and whirling quickly back to face the other soldier. The man, now cowering on the ground, shivered as he felt the cool metal of Brisingr against his throat.

"You are defeated, leave now." The soldier did not hesitate; he turned and sprinted outside of the circle of men where he collapsed to the ground muttering nonsense. "Six left." Eragon said aloud to himself, glancing at the remaining soldiers who looked like they would rather be anywhere else in the world.

Four of the remaining six yelled out hoarse battle cries and ran forward, weapons raised. One man was unfortunately much faster than his comrades and reached Eragon alone. In a single motion, Eragon disarmed the soldier and slit his throat. The sword flew through the air impaling one of the two men who had stayed back in the stomach, and he fell to the ground dead.

The other three soldiers had now reached him, and in a flurry of movement two fell dead, while the third cried out in agony as he cradled the remaining stump of his sword arm. His cry was cut short as Brisingr entered his heart, killing him instantly.

The final soldier looked at the bodies surrounding Eragon, and dropped his sword falling to his knees. Eragon nodded at the man and turned to look back at Lord Vernon whose skin now looked as though it had never seen the light of the sun.

"Very well," he said, his voice cracking in fear "You may attempt to sever my ties to Galbatorix, and if you are successful, then you will have our allegiance."

* * *

**A/N:** alright well once again i hope i didn't loose any readers because of this, and ill start on the next chapter later today. I don't know exactly how long itll take but i promise it won't be as long as this one was, probably sometime late next week if everything goes as planned.

Also im open to any suggestions or criticism, so let me know what you think.


	4. Moving Forward

**A/N**- And finally an update! Basketball season is over, for school at least. I still have AAU but thats only twice a week and shouldn't interfere much (I hope). Anyways if im being honest this probably isnt a great chapter to come back to, its actually my least favorite one so far, but it is necesary and the next one will be much better. I was rereading Brisingr the other day when I noticed something (or someone) id like to incorporate into this story, as i havent see it (or him) in any book 4 fanfics so far. But now im rambling so without furter ado,

Chapter 4!

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_Moving Forward_

Nasuada let out a sigh and slumped back in her chair, exhausted from the seemingly endless stream of paperwork that now littered her desk. Scouting reports, casualties, recruiting information and supply counts were just a few of the boring but necessary articles she spent her days reading. On top of all this she still hadn't thought of a viable excuse for Eragon's absence and it wouldn't be long before people started asking questions.

It had been a day since he left and already the lack of his presence had some of the high ranking officials within the Varden curious. Luckily nobody had directly asked where Eragon was although she knew it wouldn't be long. He was too important, too powerful and most importantly too well-liked for soldiers and officials alike not to inquire after his absence for much more than a day. _One of his few flaws, people miss him too quickly,_ she thought allowing herself a small smile. As if on cue two metallic clicks sounded through her door followed shortly by the voice of one of her Nighthawks.

"Lady Nightstalker, the elf Arya is here to see you."

"Let her in," she replied, anticipating what the elf's reason for coming was. The door was opened by a rather large urgal, followed shortly by Arya's petite form. The only greeting she received was a brisk nod as Arya sat down in front of her and the door closed with a muffled thud.

"Where is Eragon?" Arya asked almost immediately, her eyes not once leaving Nasuada's.

She razed a curved eyebrow before replying in a falsely curious fashion, "I was not aware he was missing." Arya simply narrowed her eyes and continued to stare at her intently. "Eragon is… that is, has been… out with Saphira scouting the Empires movements around Belatona and Dras Leona." She looked at Arya hoping she would accept the excuse, although there was no change in her demeanor.

"Is that so?" she inquired icily, "That is… odd, because I cannot reach him with my mind, and yet I am able to reach Roran and his regiment whom it appears you set the same task."

Nasuada sighed and glanced up towards the ceiling for a moment, disgusted with herself for forgetting about Roran and wondering if she should tell Arya the truth. If Eragon returned soon there would be no need, which was preferable since it was very likely the elf would not approve of her decision, however she had no way of knowing when he would be back. In the end she decided it best to inform Arya of his real mission although she would still keep as many people in the dark as possible.

"You recall the meeting held the other day, yes?" Arya nodded and she continued "And you also recall what was decided, that Aroughs must be taken, correct?" Again she nodded although her face hardened. "Seeing as both parties had reasonable arguments, I had to compromise. We could not afford to send soldiers westwards to Aroughs, however as Saphira wisely pointed out it would've also been ill-advised to leave the Empire with a means of flanking us when we are so vastly outnumbered." Here she paused and let out a breath of anticipation, although she suspected the elf had already guessed where this was going. "As such my only option was to send a… _small_, force that would be both fast enough and strong enough to handle the city before our siege of Melian."

Arya had a look of absolute disgust in her eyes as she replied incredulously, "And your solution to this, _dilemma_, was to send our only hope of winning this war leagues away, where no legitimate help could be provided were it necessary, to capture a city _alone_?" She stood, glaring down at Nasuada menacingly.

It took all of her self-restraint to remain sitting as she replied, "He is not alone, Saphira is with him and as I explained to him before he accepted the task it is most likely that any proficient spell casters would have left the city in order to reinforce Dras Leona or Belatona. If this were the case the city would be virtually defenseless against him."

Arya took several deep breaths before answering in a biting tone. "And if Murtagh were to show up?" Nasuada's eyes widened as she realized that was a possibility that had slipped her mind. "Already he requires more than a dozen elven magicians just to keep Murtagh at bay and you send him in with none? I have never seen nor heard of such a careless decision. I have dedicated seventy years of my life to the downfall of Galbatorix and in a split second, you made a decision without any outside advisors that could very well cost us this war!" She finished panting, with a hand on Nasuada's desk for support.

Nasuada glanced downwards and a single tear slid down her face. Arya was right. With one poor decision she had brought their campaign to its knees, and was now counting on either Murtagh's mercy or sheer luck. "What have I done…" she said to no one in particular, her eyes fixed on something only she could see.

Arya's gaze began to soften as she took in Nasuada's appearance. Her face was gaunt with dark circles beneath her eyes, no doubt from a lack of sleep. Long, unkempt hair hung past her shoulders and she blinked frequently from the strain of reading so many papers. All in all she did not have the healthy appearance one would expect from a human girl in her twenties.

"Nasuada, I apologize if I came off as… harsh. But as I said I have spent so much of my life working, _striving_ to see the day that Galbatorix's reign ends. It is difficult for me to watch as men and women alike, who have not even been alive for as many years as I have spent in service to this cause, decrease its chances of success by doing things that could easily have been avoided." Her voice was tight and controlled, but she returned to her seat.

"I apologize Arya, both for endangering our cause and," she paused, and a ghost of a smile crept onto her weary face "for endangering Eragon." Arya's eyes widened and for a moment Nasuada swore she could detect a hint of embarrassment although it was gone so fast she questioned whether or not she had seen it at all. It was replaced almost immediately with a cold stare as she stood and walked out without another word.

******

Steady hoof beats echoed throughout the night as Roran and his party moved north towards Belatona. They had been tracking a company of soldiers traveling towards the city, likely from Aroughs, for two days now. Judging by the trail they were following the company consisted of about two thousand swordsmen and they were quickly gaining ground. Arya had informed them that they were not to attack as they were too far for reinforcements if anything were to go wrong although she had sounded bitter, almost spiteful, when she told him.

Carn rode beside him on an old bay, chatting with the other men in their proximity. Many of the soldiers were cheerful, happy for their first mission under Roran's command that didn't have a possibility of death. Laughter could be heard amongst the ranks and smiles were plastered across everyone's faces.

"The men seem to be fine with riding through the night." Carn's voice caused Roran to jump slightly as he had not spoken with anyone since they left Feinster.

"Aye, it is good as we may not have caught up with the bastards before they reached the city otherwise." Carn nodded in agreement, tugging slightly on his reins.

"How goes your training in magic?" The question brought a frown to Roran's face as he thought of the many failed attempts to lift the stone. After a particularly frustrating session of practice he had thrown the pebble away and ended up striking the herbalist Angela upside the head. The resulting tirade was enough to prevent Roran from ever throwing a stone again.

"As well as ever which, I'm afraid to say, is not well at all." Carn chuckled slightly at the comment and brought his gaze to the stars.

"It's a curious thing, magic. Deceptive but powerful; as soon as you think you've figured it out something happens that forces you to re-evaluate your opinion." He sighed, glancing down to examine his fingers. "Many times I have seen things done with magic that I previously believed impossible, things that you would refuse to accept unless you had seen it for yourself. Your cousin and his dragon, for example, were able to repair the Star Sapphire in Tronjheim. The great jewel that was shattered into a million pieces when Eragon defeated Durza. Have you heard the story?" Roran nodded, he had been told the story many times, though only once from Eragon. "Bah, of course you have. As I was saying he was able to piece a gem larger than most rooms back together and raise it Lord knows how high into its original resting place. And yet, here I am, struggling to heal minor wounds from training exercises." He let out a tired laugh. "I guess what I'm trying to tell you Roran is; don't worry about it. Few people are capable of learning magic, and fewer still are those that can wield it with any proficiency."

Roran looked at Carn through new eyes. He was older than Roran though not by much, yet he was wise beyond his years. He had probably seen things that a man his age shouldn't have to, especially being a healer as he was. _The war forces changes on people,_ he thought _and I myself am a prime example of it_.

They rode on in a companionable silence, Roran keeping an eye on the men while Carn searched for enemies with his mind. He was about to ask Carn when he learned magic when the air vibrated around them causing him to wince. _Thud_. He looked to the sky searching for the source of the all too familiar sound. _Thud_. Remembering Arya's words that morning about Eragon on a mission in the south removed any doubt from his mind. _Thud_. Whoever that was, they didn't bode well for him and his men.

Glancing around, he noticed a small wooded area to the west of them, "Everyone into the trees. Now!" The soldiers hurried to obey his order and minutes later a red dragon could be seen flying towards them. "Everyone be silent." He whispered harshly before returning his gaze back to the beast approaching their hiding place. As it moved closer it was clear that the dragon was not heading directly towards the men, as it was angled away from the woods.

Just as he thought they would go unnoticed an arrow was loosed from somewhere within the ranks. Roran watched in horror as it moved towards its target, seemingly in slow motion. At the last second a gust of wind blew the arrow of course and it struck one of the saddle bags, missing the rider by inches. The man looked back, and seemed to be staring directly into Roran's eyes.

To everyone's astonishment the dragon kept on its course, still heading towards the city rather than turning back to engage the men in combat. Roran released a sigh of relief as the dragon and rider moved farther and farther away until they were only a small red dot on the horizon. Once out of sight men all around were yelling and hurling accusations at each other, trying to figure out who it was that had shot the arrow. Roran remained silent through it all. His eyes were fixed on a point several hundred yards away where a small pouch could be seen that had fallen from the dragon's back.

******

_Later that night:_

A man gazed down with an emotionless face at the torn string held loosely between his fingers. A cry of pure anger echoed throughout the city, resonating in the darkness.

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**A/N**- Like i said probably not the best way to come back but w/e. Anyone wanna guess whats in the pouch???


	5. Turning Point

**A/N**: Ughh this took alot longer than i originally intended but oh well. its a really important chapter and i wanted to make sure it was done right, although i still don't like parts of it. However, we get to meet a new character! well actually hes not really _new_ since he was in Brisingr but hes knew to this story. Anyways i recomend you go back and reread _**Man and Wife**_ or more specificly**_ Pg. 349-353_** in Brisingr so youll understand who im talking about, otherwise i would imagine you will be very confused.

I would like to thank **Canadian-Girl14**, **Woody2792**, **Edoc'sil Shadeslayer**, **lordsenju**, **chainmail**, and **beneath the menoa tree** for their reviews. When i decided to keep with this story i set a goal of at least 100 reviews by the end, and cant stress to you enough how much it helps when people leave words of encouragement.

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_Turning Point_

Pale moonlight bathed the clearing in an eerie glow. After settling the business in Aroughs Eragon and Saphira had made camp in the same wooded area they rested at before attacking the city. His cheeks were stiff from the tears drying on his face and even Saphira's countenance was grim. Both had their gaze fixed upon the night sky, observing without any real interest the moon and many stars above.

"_Tonight is the night Saphira,_" as the thoughts passed into her mind they brought with them an overwhelming sadness that nearly crippled the sapphire dragoness.

"_Aye,_" she agreed, "_So it is._" It had been almost a month since the deaths of Oromis and Glaedr and tonight they were to be laid to rest deep within the forests of Du Weldenvarden.

A bag attached to Saphira's saddle glowed a bright golden, fading after several moments as Glaedr acknowledged what had been said. He still had yet to speak though the two of them believed that after tonight his mourning period would come to an end. There were many things that Saphira still needed to learn and her former master was the only being capable of teaching them.

The pair had sat in silent mourning for near three hours until that point and now Eragon moved to his usual sleeping place against Saphira's side, a thin blue membrane snapping down behind him and separating him from the outside world.

"_Goodnight Saphira._" He said, his voice sleepy. A yawn escaped his lips and he huddled closer to her trying to get more comfortable.

Her scaly head slithered into the makeshift tent and rested in front of his. She released a plume of warm air from her nostrils into his face causing several beads of sweat to form on his forehead. "_Goodnight Little One._"

With memories of their former masters dancing between the confines of their skulls both dragon and rider drifted into an uneasy slumber.

******

Morning brought with it a fresh mindset for Eragon and Saphira, the warm rays of the sun providing a spiritual lift that the both of them desperately needed. As Eragon rose from his resting place he inhaled deeply, relishing the healing energy of the morning air. The campsite's atmosphere was considerably brightened from the dark and depressing mood of the previous night.

After a breakfast consisting of various dried fruits and bread Eragon began to pack up camp. It took only several minutes since he had unpacked very little the night before and shortly after he clambered up into Saphira's saddle, eager to begin their journey back to the Varden.

"_Do you think Nasuada will agree with my decision?_" he asked. After he had severed the surprisingly weak oaths binding Lord Vernon to the King, he had advised that Aroughs keep all its soldiers to defend it's port. Vernon had been startled to say the least, used to the Galbatorix's ruthless conscriptions, and had expected at least a request for troops to be sent to aid the Varden. He heartily agreed with the arrangements, as well as suggesting a system of runners for swift communication during times of need.

However, Eragon was worried that Nasuada would not agree with the established conditions preferring to have reinforcements for the upcoming sieges of Dras Leona and Belatona.

"_I believe she will agree, though if she doesn't it is irrelevant. It would be a very poor decision indeed to demand soldiers of Vernon after negotiating otherwise beforehand, regardless of the fact it was not Nasuada herself that made the negotiations._" Although she had a point, Saphira's words far from comforted him. If Nasuada disagreed with the established terms he would take the brunt of her anger. Sensing his doubt she added, "_If there is a problem I will tell Nasuada that it was my idea to keep the men there. She is wise enough not to argue with a dragon, I hope._" This brought a smile to Eragon's face, and the rest of the journey was spent fondly remembering time spent with their former masters.

A large crowd had gathered within the center of Feinster. After the first sentry had noticed their approach figures could be seen pooling into the town square. It seemed every man and woman in the Varden wished to see the return of the Shadeslayer and his dragon. Though nearly all of them had been unaware of Eragon's initial departure he was a man that was quickly missed.

"_Quite a turnout,_" Saphira said dryly "_pity none of them are here to see me._" Eragon smiled at his dragon, knowing full well she was only teasing.

"_Oh please, you get plenty of attention during our stays in Ellesméra. Besides, how many of these people have you threatened to eat simply because they woke you from your afternoon nap?_"

"_Humph._"

They were met with a roaring applause as they neared the ground, the men and women parting to form a large enough space for Saphira to land. Almost immediately after Eragon dismounted Jarsha appeared by his side. The young messenger boy was beginning to feel much more comfortable in Saphira's presence, at least enough to keep himself from tripping over his words as she fixed him with what many would consider to be an intimidating glare.

"My lord," he said, bowing "Nasuada would like you to report to her quarters as soon as is convenient for you."

Eragon nodded in acknowledgement and begin to head towards his own chambers to freshen up when a feminine voice caught his attention.

"Shadeslayer!" It was Trianna. He turned to her and attempted with a great effort to mask his irritation. He failed miserably however, causing the sorceress to smirk. "Perhaps I should have Arya deliver this message; you might be keener to listen." She said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. When Eragon failed to respond she let out an exasperated sigh and threw her hands into the air before continuing dramatically. "Have it your way then. One of the nurses approached me the other day and asked me to inform you that a soldier has recovered significantly since you last saw him. Apparently you had asked her to have Du Vrang Gata alert you to his condition?" She said the last part in a questioning tone, obviously curious as to why he would have any interest in a crippled man of the Varden.

Eragon however brightened considerably, having forgotten about the man with the uncanny ability to sense things around him. "And where can I find this man?" he asked, all traces of hostility gone.

Trianna smiled and gestured towards the keep. "Nasuada was apparently aware of your interest in this man and gave him a room adjacent to your own." Again Eragon nodded in acknowledgement and set off towards the keep.

Sprinting with his full elven speed he was able to reach the room within a matter of minutes. He reached for the door handle with shaking hands, his anticipation growing by the seconds. Something within Eragon told him the crippled man was important and he recalled Oromis' advice on following your instincts. The old man used to tell him to "Go with your gut, your first decision is often the correct one." With this in mind he undid the latch and stepped into the room.

The chambers were surprisingly bland, with little to no decorations and mistreated furniture scattered throughout. The rooms on this floor were typically reserved for important members of the Varden such as himself and Arya and, he had thought, all decorated lavishly. As his eyes continued to rake across the apartment he saw the man sitting in a chair on the far side. He was dressed similarly to how Eragon remembered him from their first meeting, and the black cloth over his eyes provided the reason for the lackluster surroundings.

The man appeared to be staring at Eragon, which unsettled him, and as he took a small step forward the man's gaze followed him. After a brief pause he stood, tucking a crutch beneath his left arm to compensate for his missing leg and hobbled over in Eragon's direction. He must have sensed Eragon's discomfort for he flashed a toothy grin and said, "I could see you shining through the door Shadeslayer."

The cryptic answer far from calmed his nerves, though he managed to reply. "I'm afraid I never caught your name when we last met?"

The man cackled and slapped the side of his leg with his free hand. "Aye, you did not, for I did not give it." He continued to laugh hysterically causing Eragon to raise an eyebrow.

"Well… what is it?" he replied awkwardly, shuffling his feet.

The man simply stared at him, increasing Eragon's discomfort to the point that he began to question his decision to come and speak with the crazed man. "The name's Kuthian." He said bluntly while shifting his gaze from Eragon to the door behind him. Eragon's interest immediately skyrocketed at the familiar name and thousands of questions seemed to pool on his tongue waiting to be uttered.

Just as he was about to let loose with a string of inquiries there was a knock on the door and a plump nurse stepped in. She had just started to speak when she noticed Eragon and curtsied. "Forgive me for interrupting Shadeslayer, but I've been sent to fetch this man and bring him to the hospital wing for his medicine." She seemed quite upset with having disturbed their conversation and with a sheer force of will he managed to hold back a frown, not wanting to further discourage her. Kuthian made his way towards the nurse and as he reached the door Eragon called out to him.

"I have a lot of questions I would like to ask you; perhaps we could meet again soon?"

Though the man had his back to him, Eragon could've sword he was smiling as he replied, "Aye, I think we could." Along with the nurse he exited the room followed shortly after by Eragon. As he entered his own room he heard Kuthian's laughter echoing throughout the halls, sending a shiver down his spine. The man was simply unnatural.

He quickly told Saphira of his discovery and she agreed that it was likely there was some connection between the man and Solembum's prophecy. A quick glance out the window told him it was only slightly past midday and he decided to wait a while before reporting to Nasuada's quarters. On his table he noticed the book Jeod had given him, _Domia abr Wyrdra_. As he sat down and opened it up he was reminded of his promise to the merchant and made a mental note to speak with Saphira about it. He flipped through the pages for about an hour when Roran burst through the door with a huge smile plastered across his face.

"Ah, the great Shadeslayer truly is back with the Varden once again. My sense of security has finally returned to me, perhaps now I will be able to get some sleep." His voice was overly dramatic and Eragon scowled in response. Roran laughed heartily and added, "Come now cousin, surely your sense of humor has not completely deserted you." Here he paused and stroked his chin "Though, come to think of it, it was never very good to begin with." Eragon attempted to frown but the end result was his face scrunched up as though he had just eaten something bitter, causing the both of them to burst out laughing.

Roran glanced down at the book in front of him and asked, "What is this you're reading?"

"It is called the _Domia abr Wyrdra_, the _Dominance of Fate_. A complete history of Alagaësia by Heslant the Monk."

"Bah. Why do you trouble yourself with the problems of the past when we have our own to deal with in the present?"

Eragon smiled faintly, remembering a time when he had asked something very similar of Oromis, "Not to know what happened before one was born is to forever remain a child." He said quoting the elderly Rider.

Roran raised a questioning eyebrow but didn't comment. Instead he turned back towards the door and said over his shoulder, "Come, Nasuada sent me for you and we have wasted enough time as it is."

Eragon nodded and rose to follow him out the door. They continued to talk quietly as they navigated the mess of halls and soon reached a large oak door guarded by two urgals. Roran strode right past them and pushed open the door without the slightest bit of hesitation. The two urgals remained motionless though they grunted as he passed. Inside the room Nasuada sat at her desk, drumming her fingers against the surface whilst Arya stood beside her patiently. As they stepped in Nasuada glanced up and smiled brightly, gesturing for them to take a seat.

"My Lady, Arya." He said nodding to each of them in turn. Arya simply dipped her head in response causing Eragon to frown.

Nasuada on the other hand, continued to smile and began to speak. "So, I take it your assignment was a success?" At this he noticed Arya stiffen slightly and narrow her eyes, though again she said nothing.

"Aye, it was. I managed to sever Lord Vernon's ties to Galbatorix, although I recommended he keep his soldiers in defense of the city rather than send them as reinforcements to the Varden." Nasuada nodded thoughtfully, though for some reason Eragon got the feeling she had little interest in his mission other than the fact that he hadn't failed.

There was a break in the conversation and she looked to Arya and Roran, both of whom nodded slightly, before returning her gaze back to Eragon. "While you were away the Varden came into possession of a very valuable object, thanks to your cousin here." She paused and glanced meaningfully at Roran. "After you had left I sent Roran and his regiment on a scouting mission around Belatona and Dras Leona, and apparently they ran into you brother-"

"Half" He corrected.

Nasuada frowned slightly, "I'm sorry?"

"He is my half-brother, not my brother."

"Right, sorry." She said, flustered. "As I was saying Roran and his regiment had an encounter with your _half_-brother, though luckily there was no fighting. Your cousin had the sense to hide in a nearby wood and allow the Murtagh and Thorn to pass. As they took cover in the woods a soldier accidentally loosed an arrow at the two." Eragon raised an eyebrow, curious as to how combat had been avoided if someone shot at Thorn, though he remained silent. "Through some stroke of luck the arrow severed one of the saddle bags and Murtagh and Thorn seemed to busy to care about the shooter. After they had flown away Roran retrieved the bag and found this."

She heaved a brown sack onto the mahogany desk and untied the opening. As the lips of the bag slid down Eragon's eyes widened and his mouth opened slightly. "_It cannot be!_" said Saphira who had been using Eragon as her eyes and ears.

There, sitting not one foot in front of him, sat the last dragon egg in Alagaësia.

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As always if you have any ideas/suggestions or constructive criticism let me know


	6. As the Pieces Come Together

**A/N**: I apologize that this took so long but ive been really busy lately. This is a pretty short chapter but i promise the next one will be up next sunday and im hoping it will involve a little ExA as i need to get that going if i want this story to turn out as i originally planned. I would still like to keep them moving at a slow pace though because i want to keep this semi realistic.

**IMPORTANT PLEASE READ!!!** It was brought to my attention by _Scaryman_ that some of you may not agree with the egg being brought in so early or so easily so ive decided you deserve an explanation which i cant really give in the story. I Happened so early because i think 1 of 3 things need to happen in book four.

a. the egg has already hatched  
b. the egg hatches very early in the story  
c. the egg hatches after eragon defeats Galby

I dont want to introduce and OC and i dont think Eragon would be able to defeat Murtagh and Galbatorix alone. As for the egg being with Murtagh and not locked up which was what scaryman asked me about; i believe that having the egg always gaurded in super high security is kinda lame. I mean Glabatorix wants the egg to hatch for him just as much as the Varden want it for themselves. That being the case, i decided to have Murtagh flying it around to different cities trying to get it to hatch so that the Varden could obtain it.

now that ive settled that (hopefully), i give you the unfortunately short and very late chapter six :/

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_As the Pieces Come Together_

Eragon stared at the polished egg in utter disbelief. Something he had thought to be unattainable rested before him accompanied by the casual and nonchalant smiles of his peers; as though the object before them was nothing more than a lost trinket. He turned to look wide-eyed at the other three present in the room, ignoring Saphira's seemingly endless stream of comments. After struggling for what seemed an eternity he had recovered his ability to speak. "How?" It was the foremost question on his mind, and the one he wanted answered the most.

Nasuada's smile widened as she responded, "Did I not already explain it to you? Through some struck of luck your brother was too preoccupied with his assignment to care about the most important object in Alagaësia."

In his stunned state he forgot to care that she had referred to Murtagh as his brother, her response raising another question. "Could it be fake?" It seemed highly unlikely that Murtagh would ever leave the egg for the Varden to take, and equally as unlikely that both he and Thorn had failed to notice the egg fall.

"Nay, Arya has thoroughly examined it and confirms that it is indeed real." She said as Arya nodded in confirmation.

Eragon sat back in his seat with his eyes locked on the polished green stone, dumbstruck. Apparently Saphira had grown angry with his lack of response to her questions and decided to take matters into her own hands. At that moment the building shuddered as she landed on the balcony outside and thrust her head through the window pane, showering the room's four occupants in shards of glass.

"_I will not stand by and be ignored when something so important to my race has been obtained._" She glanced around the room, daring someone to challenge her. As everyone's eyes rested on her a second, a completely unexpected voice entered their minds.

"_Nor will I._" A bright golden light came from one of Saphira's saddlebags and three of the beings present gasped in shock, while Roran and Nasuada both wore expressions of confusion.

"Who said that?" Nasuada questioned harshly. She stared intently at the light expecting to see an elf or some other creature of magic appear, though Arya's response shook her to the core.

"_That_, milady, is Glaedr." Nasuada's countenance changed from one of suspicion to sheer awe.

"_I have mourned Oromis for far too long, and I can say without any uncertainty that he would be disappointed. After learning of the egg I realized that I am needed in this war. I gave the two of you my Eldunari for a reason, one which I have been neglecting of late._"

"Nonsense Glaedr," Nasuada said appalled "It is only natural for you to mourn someone so close to your heart, especially considering the amount of time you spent together."

Glaedr merely grunted in response before addressing the group. "_There are many things that must be decided now, not the very least of which is who will be responsible for the egg._"

"Shouldn't Eragon do that, now that he is Leader of the Riders?" Eragon squirmed somewhat in his seat at Roran's suggestion. It seemed reasonable, and he doubted that anybody would object should that be their decision, yet he found himself reluctant to accept. He and Saphira would be extremely busy, making it necessary to either have the egg with them at all times or locked away somewhere where it could possibly be stolen. The more he thought about it he realized that neither of those options were logical. The Varden did not need someone to look after the egg, they needed to find it's Rider.

With that in mind he cleared his throat, silencing the commotion that Roran's query had stirred. "I do not believe that is the best course to take." He paused to observe the reactions his statement had procured. Nasuada and Roran were both giving him confused stares while Saphira just snorted and Glaedr simply let a sense of mild curiosity flow from his conscience. Arya, as always, remained expressionless. "We, the Varden that is, do not need to simply protect the egg. We need it to hatch. I'm sure you are all aware that I cannot defeat Galbatorix without the aid of maybe a hundred elves, and even then victory might not be guaranteed. We need another Rider." He glanced at the faces around him, receiving nods from all including the mental equivalent of one from Glaedr.

"What do you propose we do than, Eragon?" Arya asked.

"I think you should take it Arya. After all, you were responsible for Saphira's egg for decades and I see no reason to replace you as the Egg Courier." Again he received nods of approval, although Arya seemed uncertain.

"I would gladly accept, although I cannot in good conscience without reminding you of what happened last time I was responsible for a dragon egg." The last part was whispered so low, Eragon doubted Nasuada or Roran even heard.

"Nobody blames you for that Arya, and in the end it turned out alright as I found the egg and Saphira hatched for me"

She glared at him for a moment, though he could not fathom why, before responding. "Very well then, I will care for the egg until we have located its Rider." Nasuada pushed the egg over towards her and Eragon shook his head as a low buzzing noise filled his conscience. As Nasuada released the egg the buzzing stopped, though when Arya touched it a high pitched ringing entered his mind. Again he shook his head earning queer looks from Roran and Nasuada though he felt that Saphira noticed the sounds as well.

"Very well, that's settled then. Arya will care for the egg until it hatches at which point I would assume you, Eragon and Saphira, along with Glaedr would be responsible for the pair's training?" Nasuada sounded as though she wanted to wrap the meeting up and Eragon could hardly blame her.

"_That is correct. The only other subject we must discuss now is the matter of finding the egg's Rider._" Glaedr clearly recognized Nasuada's tone and was attempting to help bring the meeting to a close.

"I can handle that, although I will accept any suggestions from yourself or Eragon and Saphira." Nasuada said standing and making her way to the door.

Eragon rose, still thinking about the noises he had heard when the two women had touched the egg and whether or not it was significant.

"_I heard it too Little One."_

Eragon smiled slightly as he walked through the door along with Roran and Arya while Saphira flew off from her roost. "_I know you did Saphira, perhaps it was simply our imagination as nobody else seemed to notice. Did Glaedr say anything to you?_"

"_No but I believe he would have mentioned it if he had. Perhaps it was simply our imagination; we are Rider and Dragon after all._"

Eragon merely nodded and sent Saphira a sense of agreement. Beside him he noticed Arya glancing in his direction quite frequently. He raised an eyebrow questioningly though she quickly turned away and walked down a side hall. As she turned he could have sworn he saw a red tint on her cheeks.


End file.
